Cyclists on A roads

[Spinal]

Not true at all. I don't!

Are you insured to ride your bike on a public road? I.e. if you trip and land on my stationary/parked car, would your insurance company pay for the damages or would I need to claim for vandalism on my insurance?

Similarly, if you're riding down a steep hill/mountain, your brake lines snap and you hit a pedestrial carrying a baby, will your insurance cover the medical bills and damages? (don't laugh, it's happened to me... I've got stitches to prove it where the handlebar when through my leg)

Similarly, if you are a competitive cyclist and you go over the speed limit (20mph in my area, so quite easy) - do you have plates that the ANPR camera will detect and fine you for?

Or if you're on the A40, and as you pass a car you whack off the side mirror (again, one I've seen happen), will your insurance cover the damages? If you do a hit and run, can the driver of said car note down your plate and call the police for the hit and run?

Many bikes cost several thousand pounds, and are true feats of engineering. The have more gears than I care to try to use, hydraulic suspension, disk brakes... truly spectacular bits of kit. Of course, I'm sure that every single bicycle on the road is well maintained and in safe and roadworthy condition. As such, I'm also sure that all cyclists do an annual safety-check... oh, lets just call it an MOT? Which of course, needs to be done by an impartial third party...

Don't get me wrong, I'm a cyclist too.. I have two bikes, which I drag out every summer... but I don't feel that as things stand, we have the infrastructure, culture nor laws to cope with cyclists on the road.

M.

 

[Justin1600]

Not true at all. I don't!

Your in a minority mate, fair play if you do.

Do you ride side by side chatting to your mate ? holding up other motorists, because alot of cyclists do

If i was to do that on my motorbike, i would get pulled over for it. Then have my insurance, tax, MOT, number plate, exhaust, tyres etc etc checked out

 

[Dieselman]

Maybe but I am a firm believer that cyclists should be taken aside and beaten with small sticks as punishment

You're just dreaming of wearing leather again. Keep it for your motorbike..

 

[Sp!ke]

Actually it was the thought of Lycra that prompted me to say it

 

[Stratman]

No, I don't have tax, insurance and an MOT for by bike. None of them are required by law.

However, as a special favour, when every car is taxed as required by law, when every car is insured as required by law and when every car over three years old has an MOT as required by law then I'll take out cycle insurance.

Deal?

 

[Spinal]

No, I don't have tax, insurance and an MOT for by bike. None of them are required by law.

However, as a special favour, when every car is taxed as required by law, when every car is insured as required by law and when every car over three years old has an MOT as required by law then I'll take out cycle insurance.

Deal?

I think your argument is a case of "Two wrongs make a right"...

I'm not saying car drivers are "angels without sin"... I'm just saying the percentage of uninsured cyclists is MUCH higher than that of drivers...

M.

 

[Dieselman]

I'm not saying car drivers are "angels without sin"... I'm just saying the percentage of uninsured cyclists is MUCH higher than that of drivers...

Of course it is, cyclists aren't required to have insurance, motorists are.

 

[stevieb15]

I am with dieselman on this. Your driving needs some serious revision. You were obviously not prepared correctly. And, before anyone asks, yes - I am a driving instructor. A police one!

I always find it a bit sad when anyone has to endorse the validity of their comments by claiming a special kind of authority, "I'm a policeman, or all my friends agree with me" so the fact you're a driving instructor doesn't really impress me or make your views more relevant than other other.
On this occasion whilst picking holes in a perfectly valid initial comment you've also managed to miss the point, not only is the cyclist mentioned a pain in the butt, but also endangering him/herself and others.
Personally I think thats selfish and irresponsible and I'm surprised you're more interested in the "victim" of their behaviors' reaction than their actions....but then again perhaps not!
My special authority to be able to make these comments is 'I am also an occasional cyclist' and like most of my ilk, whenever I get on a bike my road manners are infinitely inferior to when I drive my car.
Cyclists should be grateful car drivers are so well mannered and tolerant towards them and accept constructive criticism of their roadcraft

 

[Mercy1]

I always find it a bit sad when anyone has to endorse the validity of their comments by claiming a special kind of authority, "I'm a policeman, or all my friends agree with me" so the fact you're a driving instructor doesn't really impress me or make your views more relevant than other other.
On this occasion whilst picking holes in a perfectly valid initial comment you've also managed to miss the point, not only is the cyclist mentioned a pain in the butt, but also endangering him/herself and others.
Personally I think thats selfish and irresponsible and I'm surprised you're more interested in the "victim" of their behaviors' reaction than their actions....but then again perhaps not!
My special authority to be able to make these comments is 'I am also an occasional cyclist' and like most of my ilk, whenever I get on a bike my road manners are infinitely inferior to when I drive my car.
Cyclists should be grateful car drivers are so well mannered and tolerant towards them and accept constructive criticism of their roadcraft

I don't think it's sad to declare special interest/knowledge of a subject. On the contrary, it adds to the validity of the comment. The point is...there are always going to be idiots and hazards out there - if you can't handle them, you are the loser and you would do well to rethink your attitudes for your own sake.

 

[0ptic]

Maybe but I am a firm believer that cyclists should be taken aside and beaten with small sticks as punishment for their poor choice of transport.

And I'm a firm believer that car drivers who insist on overtaking me while I'm on my bike cycling along a narrow B road with traffic coming the other way should be dragged out of their car and beaten with my bike pump

 

[renault12ts]

I am very angry at these people trying to cycle up a 10-15% hill on an A road taking up a whole lane.

I had to do emergency breaking when one such idiot appeared right in front of me in the middle of the lane (there was a steep hill on a turn with poor visibility in the distance). The two lanes were merging and another motorist was on the second lane - he also had to break hard. And this is all thanks to one suicidal 'sportsman' who can't find a suitable cycle path. He should consider himself lucky.

Another few encounters I had before were even better. Imagine the steepest and the most winded narrow B road. If you have TomTom you will sooner or later take one of these. Now imagine 5 mad cyclists going down at well over 40-50mph right in the middle of the road. They should also consider themselves lucky.

Seriously, there must be some law banning such irresponsible behaviour. They cause too many accidents in the rural areas, and even A roads.

I'm not sure why so many people jumped on you. As you describe it the cyclist was a numpty. I will defend anyone if I think they are in the right. In this case it does appear that the cyclists were in the wrong...but you got jumped on, sorry about that.

I think a policeman should also consider all the facts and not shoot from the hip.

 

[stevieb15]

I'm not sure why so many people jumped on you. As you describe it the cyclist was a numpty. I will defend anyone if I think they are in the right. In this case it does appear that the cyclists were in the wrong...but you got jumped on, sorry about that.

I think a policeman should also consider all the facts and not shoot from the hip.

well articulated, the cycling lobby rarely seem to look much beyond their front wheel

 

[Sp!ke]

And I'm a firm believer that car drivers who insist on overtaking me while I'm on my bike cycling along a narrow B road with traffic coming the other way should be dragged out of their car and beaten with my bike pump

How large might this bike pump be?

 

[Dieselman]

I'm not sure why so many people jumped on you. As you describe it the cyclist was a numpty. I will defend anyone if I think they are in the right. In this case it does appear that the cyclists were in the wrong...but you got jumped on, sorry about that.

I think a policeman should also consider all the facts and not shoot from the hip.

Lets understand this. The cyclist is cycling up a steepish hill so is probably standing up and giving it all he's got.

He's likely to require a fair bit of the lane due to wandering under power.

The bit I don't understand is why didn't the O/p see him until it was so late an emergency stop had to be made. Maybe he was concentrating on not letting the other car past before the lanes narrowed.

On another topic how does one work out the steepness of a hill from a % figure. What is it a % of, 90 degrees or 360 degrees?

10% of 90 degrees is 9 degrees so is that 1 in 5?

 

[stevieb15]

Lets understand this. The cyclist is cycling up a steepish hill so is probably standing up and giving it all he's got.

He's likely to require a fair bit of the lane due to wandering under power.

The bit I don't understand is why didn't the O/p see him until it was so late an emergency stop had to be made. Maybe he was concentrating on not letting the other car past before the lanes narrowed.

On another topic how does one work out the steepness of a hill from a % figure. What is it a % of, 90 degrees or 360 degrees?

10% of 90 degrees is 9 degrees so is that 1 in 5?

I think 10% would equate to 1 in 10
In regard to the OPs original point I think he is suggesting that rather than weave around the road due to the effort of pedalling up hill the cyclist would have been less of a hazard to other road users if he/she had simply dismounted and walked to the top

 

[steve333]

I think he is just a bit fedup with the selfish fools that spout off on here when they don't know the law.

Cyclists have legal priority over cars, even if they take the whole lane by riding two abreast.

Cyclists do indeed have legal priority over cars & although it's not illegal to ride 2 abreast cyclists are still required to ride with due care & attention at all times as are all road users.

 

[Dieselman]

I think 10% would equate to 1 in 10

Following that logic is 15% 1 in 15. It can't be as it's supposed to be steeper.

Maybe the scale is a % of 45% so a 100% hill is 1 in 1, or would that be a 50% hill, thus using a 90 degree scale?

I've just found a converter for it. http://www.1728.com/gradient.htm

It appears to be a measurement of 90 degrees, so 1 in 1 is 45 degrees or 50%, so 1 in 7 is 14%.

How on earth are you meant to calculate that while travelling along?

 

[renault12ts]

Cyclists may ride two abreast except: (66 point 3)

Rules for cyclists (59-82) : Directgov - Travel and transport

 

[steve333]

I think 10% would equate to 1 in 10
In regard to the OPs original point I think he is suggesting that rather than weave around the road due to the effort of pedalling up hill the cyclist would have been less of a hazard to other road users if he/she had simply dismounted and walked to the top

Agreed,a little more common sense on the part of the cyclist in this case,i also think some of the replys the op got were harsh imho.

 

[CKLclive]

I have no issue with cyclists on roads... as long as they have to abide by the same rules as everyone else...

I'm not talking just about the usual red lights, use the brakes, don't damage other people's properly then run off... but also the more basic things...

As such, I expect cyclists to have their vehicles taxed, tested and insured on an annual basis before they venture out onto a public road putting other's lives at risk. Oh, and let's not forget license plates on them to!

M.

PLus lights at night too !!